Tobacco-press.



J.'A. PLOCHER.

TOBACCO PRESS. APPLICATION HLED FEB. 23, I915.

Patented May16, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

glwuwtoz @Vi/Eneooao m5 COLUMBIA FLANOGRAPH 60.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

J. A. PLOCHER.

TOBACCO PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23. 1915.

1,183,589. Patented May 16, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 V NV -- I 5 m g to Lzzzzzm ammo a JOHN A. PLOCHER, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE ANDREW PLOCHER SONS COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

TOBACCO-PRESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1916.

Application filed February 23, 1915. Seria1 No. 9,832.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN A. PLocHnR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tobacco-Presses, of which the following is a specification, ref erence being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to presses, and more particularly to an operating mechanism for a tobacco press. While the invention is primarily designed for use in connection with a tobacco press it is capable of use, either in part or in whole, with presses of other kinds or with other devices requiring similar operation.

The object of the invention is to provide a press or the like with operating mechanism which, while exerting a powerful driving action upon the follower or other movable part of the device will be very easy to operate, not only upon the first movement of the follower but upon the final movement thereof when the resistance to such movement is the greatest; to provide such a mechanism which will be very strong and durable and of such a character that it cannot be easily broken or disarranged; and further, to pro vide such a mechanism which can be easily operated by one man.

It is a further objectof the invention to provide a device of this kind with a multiple toothed driving member which will be so mounted and operated that the several teeth thereof will simultaneously'engage the corresponding teeth of the movable part of.

the press; and further to so construct and arrange the parts that this driving member may be caused to impart different move ments to the follower.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mechanism embodying my invention, showing the tobacco case in section; Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of an operating mechanism, showing the same on a larger scale; and Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 00 w of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

In these drawings I have illustrated one for the shank 6 of the follower.

embodiment of my invention and have shown the same as applied to a tobacco press.

case is utilized as a shipping case. It will be obvious, however, that the operation will be the same regardless of the character of the former or receptacle inwhich the material to be compressed is contained. Extending upwardly from either side of the base are two upright frame members or standards 3 which are connected at their upper ends by a transverse frame member or beam 4. This frame, comprlslng the uprlght and horizontal members 3 and 4, constitutes a supporting frame for the follower and the operating mechanism therefor. As here shown the follower is indicated by the reference numeral 5 and has an upwardly extending portion or shank 6 provided along one edge with a toothed rack 7, the teeth being preferably in the form of ratchet teeth. This shank extends upward through a guide opening 8 in the frame member 4:. The shank is further guided by means of upwardly extendingplates 9 secured to the opposite sidesof the frame member 1 and connected at their upper ends by tie rods 10. These plates are provided with inwardly extending projections 11 which form guides The follower is automatically returned to its uppermost position and is retained in this position by means of a counterweight 12 to which is connected a cable13 extending about guide pulleys 14: mounted on the frame member 4 and connected with the follower. This upward movement of the follower is, however, controlled by a detent 15 which, as here shown, is in the form of a block slidably mounted in suitable guideways 16 and having a head 17 provided with a plurality of teeth adapted to engage the teeth of the rack 7 and lock the follower against upward movement. The detent is preferably hollow to receive a spring 18 which acts upon the detent to move the same toward the rack 7. Suitable means are provided for disengaging the detent from the rack and, in the present instance, a rod 20 is connected to the detent and extends along the frame member 4; to a point beyond the upright 3 where it is provided with a hand grip 21 by means of which it may be operated to withdraw the detent and release the follower,

A suitable driving member is provided for imparting operative movement to the follower and, as here shown, this device comprises a multiple toothed driver 22 mounted for bodily movement, as dis tinguished from a pivotal movement, toward and away from the rack 7 and for downward movement in a direction parallel with the rack. Means are provided for causing the driver to move toward and into operative engagement with the rack and to maintain the toothed portion of the driver substantially parallel with the rack at the time it engages the teeth thereof, thus causing all the teeth of the driver to come into operative engagement with the teeth of the rack at the same time. The driver here shown comprises an elongated dog having its lower portion toothed, as shown at 23, and pivotally mounted between its ends, and above the toothed portion thereof, upon the lower end of one arm of a toggle 24, the other arm of which is pivotally mounted on a fixed support, such, for example, as one of the tie rods 10. Preferably, the fixed pivot for the upper arm of the toggle is arranged above and in such relation to the point of connection of the lower end of the toggle with the driver that the toggle will extend lengthwise of the rack. Means are provided for guiding the driver bodily toward and away from the rack, this means being such as to maintain the toothed portion of the driver substantially parallel with the rack. As here shown the lower or toothed portion of the driver is provided on its opposite sides with laterally extending pins 25 which extend through openings 26 in the respect ve plates 9 and are held in engagement with the cam shaped edges or guides 27 of said plates by means of a spring 28 which acts upon the lower part of the driver. The upper portion of the driver is also provided on its opposite sides with laterally extendng p ns 29 which extend through cam slots or guides 30 in the respective plates 9. The cam surfaces of the openings 26 and slots 30 are such that when the driver is moved upwardly the pins riding over these cam surfaces will move the driver outwardly while on the downward movement of the driver it will be caused to move inward. The inward movement of the upper part of the driver is positively imparted thereto by the shape of the cam groove, while the inward movement ofthe lower part of the driver is imparted thereto by the spring 28 which holds the pins 25 in engagement with the cam surface of the opening. It will be noted that these cam surfaces are so shaped that the driver is caused to move quickly into its operative position.

The toggle may be operated in any suitable manner to impart operative movement to the driver. In the present instance I have provided an actuating member which consists of a two part arm 31, the two parts of which diverge and give the actuating member a V-shape. One part or arm of the actuating member is connected with the intermediate pivot of the toggle and the other arm of the actuating member is connected with a crank arm 32 mounted on the fixed axis on which the upper arm of the toggle is mounted and is rigidly connected with that arm of the toggle whereby the crank arm and the arm of the toggle constitute in effect a bell crank lever. In this manner the actuating member 31 is supported on the fixed axis of the toggle and the downward movement on the outer endv of the actuating member will exert an inward thrust upon the knee of the toggle and Wlll also impart a pull on the crank arm 31 which will tend to turn the upper arm of the toggle about its fixed axis. This movement may be imparted to the actuating member in any suitable manner but, in the present instance, I have provided an operating lever 33 pivotally mounted on one of the uprights 3 at 34 and connected with the outer end of the actuating member by means of a link 33, this link being connected with the lever 33 a distance from its axis suflicient to secure the desired movement and leverage. As will be readily understood the most powerful portion of the stroke of the lever is the last portion thereof when the toggle is approaching its fully extended position, that is, its position in which the two arms are in longitudinal alinement. In order to utilize this portion of the stroke to the fullest extent when the compression of the material is almost com pleted or when for other reasons the resistance offered to the follower is greater than usual I have so arranged the mechanism that in the normal operation of the plunger the driver will move the follower through a distance equal to two or more teeth of the rack. But this movement may be so controlled by the lever 33 that the driver will advance the follower only a portion of the distance, as, for example, the space of one tooth. Consequently, the angle formed by the two members of the toggle is always a large one and the power applied to the driver is correspondingly great. WVhen the resistance to the movement of the follower is comparatively slight, as at the beginning of the compression of the material, the full stroke of the lever may be utilized to cause the follower to advance large distances upon each operation thereof.

It will be noted that I have formed the plates 9, which extend upward from the transverse member 4: of the frame and constitute a portion of the guide for the shank of the follower, in such a manner that they may be reversed, that is, the operating mechanism may be mounted upon either of the lateral portions of these plates. To this end each plate is provided on each side of its vertical center with cam slots 30, openings 26, detent guides, etc. Thus, should the plates become so worn on one side as to interfere with the operation of the mechanism or should they become broken they can be removed and reversed and the parts reassembled on the other side thereof in the same relation 'to the rack. Likewise, if it should be desirable, the rack can be reversed in the guide and the operating mechanism mounted on the opposite side thereof, this requiring only the transfer of the guide pulleys 14: to the opposite side of the frame.

The operation of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that I have provided mechanism of this character which will be easy to operate, has a very large degree of pow-er and is of such a strong, durable construction that it will not be readily broken or rendered inoperative when subjected to the rough usage to which such mechanism is usually subjected by the unskilled laborer who operates them. Further, the device is so arranged that either a short powerful stroke may be secured or a longer stroke according to the condition of the work.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention it will be understood that this has been chosen for the purposes of illustration only and that I do not desire to be limited to the details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a supporting frame and a follower movably mounted on said frame and having a toothed rack, of a toggle extending lengthwise of said rack and connected at one end with a fixed support, a toothed driver pivotally connected with the other end of said toggle, means to actuate said toggle and impart movement to said driver, and means to cause the engagement and disengagement of said pivoted driver. and said rack through the movement of said driver.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a supporting frame and a follower movably mounted on said frame and having a toothed rack, of a toggle extending lengthwise of said rack and connected at one end with a fixed support, a toothed driver pivotally connected with the other end of said toggle, means to actuate said toggle to impart movement to said driver, guides to cause said driver to oper atively engage said rack, and a spring tending to move said driver into engagement with said rack.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination, with a supporting frame and a follower movably mounted on said frame and having a toothed rack, of a driver having a plurality of teeth thereon movable into and out of engagement with said rack, and means comprising guides fixed to the frame to maintain the toothed portion of said driver substantially parallel with said rack as it moves into engagement therewith, whereby its teeth simultaneously engage the rack.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination, with a supporting frame and a follower movably mounted 011 said frame and having a toothed rack, of a toggle extending lengthwise of said rack and pivotally mounted at one end on a fixed support, a driver pivotally connected with the other end of said toggle, said driver having a plurality of teeth, means to actuate said toggle to impart movement to said driver, and means to guide said driver into engagement with said rack and cause the simulta neous engagement of its teeth therewith.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination, with a supporting frame and a follower movably mounted on said frame and having a toothed rack, of a toggle extending lengthwise of said rack and pivotally connected atone end on a fixed support, a driver pivotally mounted between its ends on the other end of said toggle and having a toothed portion on one side of said pivotal connection, and means comprising guides cooperating with the respective ends of said driver to control its movement toward said rack and to maintain the toothed portion thereof substantially parallel with said rack during such movement.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination, with asupporting frame and a follower movably mounted on said frame and having a toothed rack, of a driver having a plurality ofteeth extending parallel with said toothed rack, means to cause the movement of said rack through the instrumentality of said driver, and means to cause said driver to move into and out of engagement with said rack and maintain the same parallel therewith, whereby the teeth of the driver simultaneously engage the rack.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination, with a supporting frame and a follower movably mounted on said frame and having a toothed rack, of a toothed driver movable with respect to said -rack, and means comprising guides and a spring to cause the said driver to move into and out of engagement with said rack when it is operated.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination, with a supporting frame and a follower movably mounted on said frame and having a toothed rack, of a toggle joint extending lengthwise of said rack and pivotally mounted at one end ona fixed support, a driver pivotally mounted on the other end of said toggle joint and having a toothed portion, and means comprising guides and a spring to cause said driver to move into engagement with said rack.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination, with a supporting frame, and a follower movably mounted on said frame and having a toothed rack, of a toggle extending lengthwise of said rack and pivotally mounted at one end on a fixed support, a driver pivotally mounted between its ends on the other end of said toggle and having a toothed portion on one side of said pivotal connection, a spring tending to move said toothed portion of said driver into engagement with said rack, and cam-shaped guides cooperating with the respective ends of said driver to control its movement toward said rack and to maintain the toothed portion thereof substantially parallel with said rack during such movement.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination, with a supporting frame and a follower movably mounted on said frame and having a toothed rack, a toggle pivotally connected at one end to a fixed support, a driver pivotally connected to the other end of said toggle, means for guiding said pivoted driver into and out of engagement with said rack when said toggle is operated, an arm fixed to the end of the toggle pivoted to the fixed support, a lever pivoted to the frame, and a link connecting said lever to said arm.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination, with a supporting frame and a follower movably mounted on said frame and having a toothed rack, of a toothed driver cooperating with said rack to impart movement to said follower, a toggle pivotally connected at one end to a fixed support and connected at its other end with said driver, and means for operating said toggle comprising an arm rigidly connected therewith, a lever pivoted to a fixed part of the frame, and a link connecting said lever to said arm.

12. In a device of the character described, the combination, with a supporting frame and a follower movably mounted on said frame and having a toothed rack, of a toothed driver cooperating with said rack to impart movement to said follower, a toggle pivotally connected at one end to a fixed support and connected at its other end with said driver, means for guiding said driver into and out of engagement with said rack when said toggle is operated, an operating arm rigidly attached to said toggle, a lever pivoted to a fixed part of the frame, and a link connecting said lever with said arm.

13. In a device of the character described,

a supporting frame comprising a horizontal portion, a follower having a shank slidably mounted on said horizontal portion of said frame, guide plates secured to said horizontal portion of said frame and arranged on opposite sides of the shank of said follower and having portions extending laterally beyond the opposite edges of said shank, the lateral portions of each of said plates having similar guide openings, a driver adapted to be mounted between said plates in operative relation to said shank and having portions adapted to cooperate with the guide openings in either of the lateral portions of said plates, and means for operating said driver.

14:. In a press of the character described, a base, a frame comprising upright members secured to the respective sides of said base, and a horizontal member connecting the upper ends of said frame, a follower having a shank slidably mounted on the horizontal portion of said frame, guide plates carried by said horizontal portion of said frame, a driver cooperating with the shank of said follower to impart movement to the latter, said driver being mounted on said guide plates for bodily movement relatively thereto, a toggle pivotally mounted at one end on said guide plates and having its other end connected with said driver, a lever.

mounted on said frame, and an operative connection between said lever and said toggle.

15. In a device of the character described, the combination, with a supporting frame and a follower movably mounted on said frame and having a toothed rack, a toothed driver, and means to move said driver into and out of engagement with said rack, said last-mentioned means comprising guides fixed to the frame and mechanism for positively moving said driver.

16. In a device of the character described, a supporting frame, a follower movably mounted on said frame, said follower having a toothed rack, a toggle extending length- In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature Wise of said rack and pivotally mounted at in presence of two Witnesses. one end on a fixed support, a driver pivotally mounted on the other end of said toggle, JOHN PLOOHER' slots upon the frame, means on said driver Witnesses:

cooperating With said slots, and a spring F. W. SOHAEFER,

fixed to the frame and engaging said driver. EDWARD L. REED.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

